The crack of gunfire reverberated through the narrow alley, shaking Ivy to her core. Her breath caught in her throat, every instinct screaming at her to move, to run, to do something, but she was frozen, paralyzed in the car as the chaos outside intensified. Her heart hammered so loud she could hardly hear the shouting, the bullets ripping through the air, but she saw the flashes of muzzle fire, the gleam of cold steel as the battle unfolded.
Lu Cheng stood like a statue amidst the storm, his body still, his eyes locked onto the man who had issued the threat. His posture screamed control, dominance. He didn't flinch when bullets whizzed past him, and his assistants, Lin Wei, Zhao Jun, and Cheng Rui, moved like shadows, cutting through the chaos with ruthless precision. The men they faced didn't stand a chance.
But it was more than just violence. It was a calculated strike, a declaration of war in the shadows of the city. And Ivy was in the middle of it, like a pawn on a battlefield she didn't even understand.
Another shot rang out, and Ivy instinctively ducked. Her mind raced. What was she supposed to do? This wasn't just a business trip. This was survival. She wanted to scream, to tell herself to wake up from this nightmare, but every time she looked at Lu Cheng, calm, composed, lethal, the reality hit harder. This was no dream. This was his world.
Suddenly, the car door next to her was yanked open. Ivy gasped, her hands shooting up in defense as she stared up at a face she didn't recognize. A masked figure, one of the attackers, loomed over her, a gun pointed directly at her chest.
Panic seized her, her body frozen as her mind screamed at her to move, to fight back, to do something. But her body wouldn't respond. She felt the cold steel of the barrel press against her ribs, and she knew, this is it.
In that split second, Ivy thought of everything. Her grandparents, Pearl, her job, her future. How did it come to this? How did she end up staring death in the face because of a man like Lu Cheng?
The figure's finger twitched on the trigger, but before he could pull it, something happened. A shadow moved faster than Ivy could register. There was a sharp crack of bone, and the man was suddenly ripped away from her, his body crashing against the pavement.
Ivy's breath caught as she looked up. Lu Cheng stood there, his arm extended, his fist still clenched from the brutal punch that had knocked the man out cold. His mask gleamed under the dim streetlights, but for the first time, Ivy could see the fury in his eyes, an icy, unforgiving rage.
"You don't touch her," Lu Cheng growled, his voice low, deadly. The man on the ground whimpered, clutching his broken jaw, but Lu Cheng didn't spare him a second glance.
He turned to Ivy, his gaze softening ever so slightly. "Get out of the car. Now."
Ivy nodded, her body trembling as she clambered out of the vehicle. Her legs felt like jelly beneath her, her heart racing out of control, but somehow, she managed to stand. Lu Cheng moved like a predator, shielding her with his body as the gunfire raged on around them. He was taking her somewhere, but Ivy wasn't sure where. All she knew was that she had to trust him, trust the man who had just saved her life.
As they moved, Ivy's eyes darted around the alleyway. Lin Wei, Zhao Jun, and Cheng Rui were like specters in the darkness, dispatching the attackers with terrifying efficiency. Each movement was precise, deadly, and Ivy couldn't believe how easily they dismantled the ambush.
But this wasn't over.
Just as they reached the edge of the alley, the night split open with the roar of engines. Ivy turned her head, her eyes widening in horror as two more SUVs screeched around the corner, headlights blazing. More men, more guns, more death. This wasn't just an attack, this was a full-on assault.
Ivy's pulse spiked as the SUVs skidded to a stop, the doors flying open. Men poured out, heavily armed and ready to kill. She could feel the tension in the air, the weight of inevitability bearing down on them.
"Stay close to me," Lu Cheng ordered, his voice cutting through the madness.
"Where are we going? We're outnumbered!" Ivy's voice shook, but she followed him without question.
"I know," he said, glancing down at her, his eyes sharp and calculating. "But they don't know who they're dealing with."
Before Ivy could ask what he meant, Lu Cheng pulled a phone from his pocket, pressing a single button. The action was swift, almost unnoticeable, but it sent a wave of dread through her. He was calling for backup.
Within seconds, Ivy heard it, faint at first, then growing louder. The distant rumble of motorcycles, engines roaring like thunder as they approached. She spun around, her breath catching in her throat as a swarm of black bikes tore through the streets, surrounding the SUVs in a flash.
Lu Feng led the charge, his dangerously handsome face twisted into a wicked grin as he dismounted, his men swarming around him like a lethal tide. He looked at Lu Cheng, the two brothers sharing a silent, deadly exchange before Lu Feng's eyes flickered toward Ivy.
"Well, well," Lu Feng drawled, his voice smooth as silk. "Looks like I showed up just in time."
Lu Cheng's lips curled into a smirk beneath his mask. "You're late."
"I prefer to make an entrance," Lu Feng said, his gaze sliding back to the attackers with cold amusement. "Shall we?"
Ivy watched, her heart in her throat as the two brothers moved in tandem, like dark forces of nature. What unfolded next was nothing short of chaos, gunfire, screams, the brutal thud of bodies hitting the ground. It was a warzone, but the Lu brothers were untouchable, cutting through their enemies with a terrifying grace that left Ivy breathless.
For the first time, she realized just how deep this went. How dangerous these men really were.
And she was right in the middle of it.
When the last of the attackers fell, Ivy stood there, her mind whirling, her chest heaving. The alley was silent now, save for the distant sirens of approaching police cars.
Lu Cheng turned to her, his eyes still burning with intensity. "This is just the beginning, Ivy," he said quietly, his voice laced with both promise and warning.
Ivy met his gaze, her stomach churning with uncertainty. She didn't know what would happen next, but one thing was clear.
She was no longer just an assistant in a powerful company. She was entangled in a world far darker than she had ever imagined.
And there was no way out.
Not now.
Not ever.